Tel: 0118 971 4700
Durham Castle
University College
Palace Green
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3RW
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 334 3800
County Durham was unique in that it was an entity unto itself, ruled by the Prince Bishops of Durham, medieval churchmen who ruled with absolute power, making Durham their own separate kingdom. It was only in the Middle Ages when the Prince Bishops eventually became superseded by the crown, and County Durham was no longer a separate entity. Their legacy in Durham is still apparent today, not least in the magnificent Durham Castle, a Norman fortress founded soon after the Conquest of 1066, which was the fortified residence of the Prince Bishops of Durham. The Castle is superbly well preserved; the Department of the Environment comment that few buildings in England can boast a longer history of continuous occupation than Durham Castle, which has been rebuilt, extended and adapted to changing circumstances and uses over a period of 900 years, and is today the home of the first college of the University of Durham - University College. Entrance to Durham Castle is by guided tour only. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
University College
Palace Green
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3RW
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 334 3800
County Durham was unique in that it was an entity unto itself, ruled by the Prince Bishops of Durham, medieval churchmen who ruled with absolute power, making Durham their own separate kingdom. It was only in the Middle Ages when the Prince Bishops eventually became superseded by the crown, and County Durham was no longer a separate entity. Their legacy in Durham is still apparent today, not least in the magnificent Durham Castle, a Norman fortress founded soon after the Conquest of 1066, which was the fortified residence of the Prince Bishops of Durham. The Castle is superbly well preserved; the Department of the Environment comment that few buildings in England can boast a longer history of continuous occupation than Durham Castle, which has been rebuilt, extended and adapted to changing circumstances and uses over a period of 900 years, and is today the home of the first college of the University of Durham - University College. Entrance to Durham Castle is by guided tour only. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Durham Cathedral
The College
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3EH
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 386 4266
Soaring above the city below and a landmark visible from miles around, Durham Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin is one of the most strikingly beautiful buildings in the UK. Travel writer (and now Vice-Chancellor of Durham University) Bill Bryson hailed Durham Cathedral as ‘the best cathedral on planet earth’; high praise indeed, but perhaps it is not surprising that so many people find the cathedral such an awe-inspiring icon; it is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England and is listed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as a site of major historical interest. Within the audacious vaulted structure of the cathedral, whose foundations were laid in 1093, can be found the final resting place of St Cuthbert, evangeliser of Northumbria, and of the Venerable Bede, chronicler of Cuthbert’s life and the first English historian. Durham Cathedral also houses the Coal Miners’ Memorial – a fitting tribute to the men who toiled, lived and died in the Durham Coalfield.
The College
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3EH
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 386 4266
Soaring above the city below and a landmark visible from miles around, Durham Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin is one of the most strikingly beautiful buildings in the UK. Travel writer (and now Vice-Chancellor of Durham University) Bill Bryson hailed Durham Cathedral as ‘the best cathedral on planet earth’; high praise indeed, but perhaps it is not surprising that so many people find the cathedral such an awe-inspiring icon; it is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England and is listed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as a site of major historical interest. Within the audacious vaulted structure of the cathedral, whose foundations were laid in 1093, can be found the final resting place of St Cuthbert, evangeliser of Northumbria, and of the Venerable Bede, chronicler of Cuthbert’s life and the first English historian. Durham Cathedral also houses the Coal Miners’ Memorial – a fitting tribute to the men who toiled, lived and died in the Durham Coalfield.
Durham Heritage Centre
St Mary-le-Bow
North Bailey
Durham
County Durham
DH1 5ET
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3845589
The Durham Heritage Centre is the only local history museum in the city, and tells the extraordinary story of Durham from medieval times to the modern day. It chronicles the past, with fascinating displays about Durham as a centre of pilgrimage to the shrine of St Cuthbert, Durham's old theatres, the people of Durham, the world-renowned Harrison organ makers, lost and forgotten industries, reconstructions of cells from the Victorian prison, life in a mining community and County Durham’s role in the innovation of the railways. There is also the opportunity for visitors to try their hand at brass rubbing on the many replica brasses.
St Mary-le-Bow
North Bailey
Durham
County Durham
DH1 5ET
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3845589
The Durham Heritage Centre is the only local history museum in the city, and tells the extraordinary story of Durham from medieval times to the modern day. It chronicles the past, with fascinating displays about Durham as a centre of pilgrimage to the shrine of St Cuthbert, Durham's old theatres, the people of Durham, the world-renowned Harrison organ makers, lost and forgotten industries, reconstructions of cells from the Victorian prison, life in a mining community and County Durham’s role in the innovation of the railways. There is also the opportunity for visitors to try their hand at brass rubbing on the many replica brasses.
Durham Light Infantry Museum & Durham Art Gallery
Aykley Heads
Durham
County Durham
DH1 5TU
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3842214
Set in beautiful gardens towards the northern fringes of the city centre, the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Durham Art Gallery was built on the site of the last working colliery in Durham City, and combines a fascinating, informative and moving commemoration of County Durham’s own Regiment, who served with distinction in every conflict between 1758 and 1968; and one of the finest and most intriguing art galleries to be found in the North of England.
The history of the DLI is presented through exhibitions, uniforms, weapons, artefacts and fascinating displays including the medals of Durham soldiers who fought in the Regiment from the Peninsular War to the last campaign in Borneo in 1966. The Durham Art Gallery has a regularly changing programme of exhibitions and events showcasing traditional and contemporary works from local, national and international artists.
Aykley Heads
Durham
County Durham
DH1 5TU
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3842214
Set in beautiful gardens towards the northern fringes of the city centre, the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Durham Art Gallery was built on the site of the last working colliery in Durham City, and combines a fascinating, informative and moving commemoration of County Durham’s own Regiment, who served with distinction in every conflict between 1758 and 1968; and one of the finest and most intriguing art galleries to be found in the North of England.
The history of the DLI is presented through exhibitions, uniforms, weapons, artefacts and fascinating displays including the medals of Durham soldiers who fought in the Regiment from the Peninsular War to the last campaign in Borneo in 1966. The Durham Art Gallery has a regularly changing programme of exhibitions and events showcasing traditional and contemporary works from local, national and international artists.
The Oriental Museum
Elvet Hill
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3TH
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3345694
The Oriental Museum is part of the University of Durham, and is the only museum of its kind in the UK. It is entirely devoted to art and archaeology from the civilisations of Asia and the Near East and the Islamic cultures of North Africa; from ancient Egypt, China and Japan to contemporary works from today’s Oriental artists. It is open to the public, and also serves as a resource for university staff and students, as well as researchers and connoisseurs of Oriental art worldwide.
Elvet Hill
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3TH
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 3345694
The Oriental Museum is part of the University of Durham, and is the only museum of its kind in the UK. It is entirely devoted to art and archaeology from the civilisations of Asia and the Near East and the Islamic cultures of North Africa; from ancient Egypt, China and Japan to contemporary works from today’s Oriental artists. It is open to the public, and also serves as a resource for university staff and students, as well as researchers and connoisseurs of Oriental art worldwide.